Stoke City appoint Luton Town's Nathan Jones as new manager 

Nathan Jones
Nathan Jones has been named Stoke's new manager Credit: getty images

Stoke City have appointed Luton Town's Nathan Jones as their new manager and will make significant funds available as they bid to revive their hopes of promotion.

Jones has signed a three-and-a-half year deal after Stoke paid £1 million in compensation to poach the 45-year-old from the League One club.

The Welshman replaces Gary Rowett and while his appointment is undoubtedly a risk, he has established an excellent reputation at Luton after guiding the club to promotion from League Two last year, while this season he took them to second in the third tier. He leaves Luton after three years in charge.

Jones is keen to raid Notts County for technical director Paul Hart, who was part of his coaching staff at Kenilworth Road last season. 

Stoke have also pledged that that money will be made available in the January transfer window, with a goalscoring striker, left-winger and a young centre-half on the club's list of targets.

Stoke have spent over £40m since relegation from the Premier League and are determined to give Jones every chance of earning promotion back to the top-flight.

Jones will take his first game at Brentford this weekend. He said: "You’ll have a manager who will work tirelessly for the club, that has the key values of the club at heart.

“We will put a side out there that they can be proud of. We will be hard working, we will be a talented side, we’ll try to play in certain way, which I will work religiously on.

“This is not a job for me, this is a lifestyle. It’s what I believe in to my core so they will see that.

“Along the way there will be some ups and downs, hopefully plenty of ups and we get a philosophy implement."

Hart, the former Nottingham Forest and Portsmouth manager, has been identified as a key part of Jones's backroom staff and talks are expected to begin with Notts County soon.

Meanwhile, Luton's directors were locked in talks on Wednesday afternoon as they prepare to draw up a shortlist of candidates to replace Jones.

Michael Appleton, the former Leicester assistant manager and Oxford manager, is already emerging as a strong contender and could be approached on Thursday.

Appleton left Leicester over the summer and is keen to return to management.

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